DON'T think for a minute that the life of a professional golfer on the European and US circuits is all glamour and money.
Scott Arnold of Caringbah is living his dream playing full-time but it takes a lot of hard work to keep pace with hundreds of golfers trying to make their mark and qualify for the big money tournaments.
Arnold turned pro in 2009 and in 2013 won a place on the European tour.
Back in Sutherland Shire for a short break, Arnold, 29, is about to head overseas again with a mission to make the top echelon again.
Next up is the Oman Golf Classic.
"Oman is the last event of the [qualification] season, and if you are in the top 45 of the rankings you then go to Dubai the next week to play in the grand final," Arnold said.
"Then the top 15 get full European tour status.
"If you don't make the top 45, then you to the qualifying school and the top 25 from this final stage get tour cards.
"There are two ways I can get back there. I just have to play well."
Arnold has clocked up plenty of travel in the past 12 months.
"Last year I played in 22 tournaments in 17 or 18 different countries," he said.
"It costs you money and if you don't win enough prizemoney, it costs you $1700 a week in caddie fees and expenses. It probably cost me $100,000 to play last year."
Arnold said golf equipment manufacturer Ping sponsored him and this had helped significantly.
The Cronulla Golf Club member said he would miss the Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club at Rosebery on November 27-30 because of overseas commitments.
Golf pedigree runs in the family. His brother Jamie, 31, is a professional player who lives in Atlanta and their father Colin Arnold is the longtime golf professional at Cronulla Golf Club.
Scott grew up around the sport. "I helped my dad in the pro shop on weekends," Arnold said. "I started playing golf when I was 12."
He was a pretty fair junior rugby league player with Cronulla-Caringbah but then opted for golf .
"I played juniors with future Sharks players Russell Aitken and Scott Porter," Arnold said.
He went to Woolooware High School, a tee shot from Cronulla Golf Club.
